The Florida Senate

370.0615  Lifetime licenses.--

(1)  A resident lifetime saltwater fishing license authorizes the holder to engage in the following noncommercial activities:

(a)  To take or attempt to take or possess marine fish consistent with state and federal regulations and rules of the Department of Environmental Protection or the Marine Fisheries Commission.

(b)  All activities authorized by a snook permit.

(c)  All activities authorized by a crawfish permit.

(d)  All activities for which an additional license, permit, or fee is required to take or attempt to take or possess marine fish, imposed subsequent to the date of purchase of the resident lifetime saltwater fishing license.

(2)  The fee for a resident lifetime saltwater fishing license shall be:

(a)  4 years of age or younger ....... $125

(b)  5-12 years of age ....... $225

(c)  13 years of age or older. ....... $300

(3)  The Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission shall be the issuing agent for all lifetime licenses and all replacement lifetime licenses, and is authorized to collect the fees therefor.

(4)  Lifetime licenses shall be valid from the date of issuance until the death of the individual to whom the license is issued unless otherwise revoked.

(5)  The lifetime licenses provided herein shall be embossed with the applicant's name, date of birth, the date of issuance, and other pertinent information as deemed necessary by the department. A certified copy of the applicant's birth certificate shall accompany all applications for a lifetime license for residents 12 years of age and younger.

(6)  A positive form of identification is required when using a lifetime license.

(7)  A resident lifetime license which has been purchased by a resident of this state who subsequently resides in another state shall be honored for activities authorized by the license.

(8)  License moneys collected for lifetime licenses and replacement lifetime licenses, along with a report of funds collected and other required documentation, shall be remitted to the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission within 10 days after the moneys are collected.

(9)  All license fees collected pursuant to s. 370.0605 and this section for the sale of or replacement of lifetime saltwater licenses and 30 percent of the fee collected pursuant to s. 372.57 for the sale of lifetime sportsman's licenses shall be transferred to the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund within 30 days following the last day of the month in which the license fees were received by the commission. The following limitations and restrictions are placed on expenditures from the funds:

(a)  No expenditure or disbursement shall be made from the principal of the lifetime saltwater license funds.

(b)  The interest income received and accruing from the investments of the lifetime saltwater license funds shall be allocated by the Legislature for marine law enforcement, marine research, and marine fishery enhancement.

(c)  No expenditures or disbursements from the interest income derived from the sale of lifetime licenses shall be made for any purpose until the respective holders of such licenses attain the age of 16 years. The commission shall provide the department data which shall indicate the amounts of interest income within the fund which may be disbursed pursuant to this paragraph. The commission shall furnish the department data which shall cause the deposits of proceeds from the sale of lifetime licenses to be identifiable by the ages of the license recipients.

History.--s. 14, ch. 91-78; s. 214, ch. 94-356; s. 6, ch. 96-300; s. 58, ch. 97-100.